Water Conservation
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Providing clean, fresh water to the animals is essential for their health, well-being and productivity. But as a natural resource, it is important that pig producers conserve water where possible. Conserving is water is not only environmentally responsible but it can also result in cost savings. These cost savings may come from reduced need to purchase water from rural or city systems and less running of pumps. Wasted water contributes to manure slurry quantities and therefore increases handling costs.
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Water Conservation
- 1. Water Conservation Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring
- 2. Water footprint Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring Swine Rations
- 3. On-farm water use Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring
- 4. Water monitoring Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Water meter • Temperature
- 5. Nipple and cup drinkers Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring
- 6. Drinking water Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring
- 7. Check water daily Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring
- 8. Nipple drinkers Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Height adjustment
- 9. Nipple drinker – flow rate Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring Brumm, M. 2010. National Swine Nutrition Guide, Water recommendation and systems for swine, http://www.usporkcenter.org/Projects/506/NationalSwineNutritionGuide.aspx#.Vp6R2VJ-t-d
- 10. Nipple drinker – flow rate Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring
- 11. Trough watering Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Check: • Timers • Trough integrity • Blocked troughs
- 12. Washing Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Dry clean up • Intermittent pre-soak • Wash basins
- 13. Cooling systems Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Sprinkler, fogger and drip systems
- 14. Cooling systems Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Cool cells
- 15. Water filters / quality Conclusion Cooling systems Washing Nipple drinkers & water troughs Water footprint & monitoring • Rust debris • Algae growth • Mineral deposits
Editor's Notes
- Providing clean, fresh water to the animals is essential for their health, well-being and productivity. But as a natural resource, it is important that pig producers conserve water where possible. Conserving is water is not only environmentally responsible but it can also result in cost savings. These cost savings may come from reduced need to purchase water from rural or city systems and less running of pumps. Wasted water contributes to manure slurry quantities and therefore increases handling costs.
- A Pork Check Off funded Life Cycle Assessment by the University of Arkansas (from growing the feed crops to consumption of the pork product) estimated the overall U.S. pork water footprint at 18 gallons per pound or 8.2 gallons per 4-ounce serving of boneless pork. Feed accounts for 83 – 93 percent of the water footprint (depending on the source of the feed and the use of irrigation) On farm use accounts for about 13 percent of pork’s water footprint in the form of drinking, cooling and washing water. The remainder of pork’s water footprint comes from the processing, packaging, distribution and the consumer stages.
- On the farm, about 80 percent of the water usage is animal drinking water, about 12% is used for cooling systems and 7% for facility washing. The animal caretaker can help to reduce water wastage on the farm by managing and maintaining these water systems. Water wastage is of particular concern to farms that have deep pits under the barn for manure storage. Extra water will add to the volume stored. Wasted water will alter the dry matter concentrations and may result in the need for different equipment to agitate and apply the manure to the land. While the amount of nutrients in the water will not change, nor the area of land required, the reduced diluted nutrient concentration will require more manure to be applied per acre.
- Monitoring water usage by routinely reading water meters will help you to identify deviations from normal use that may indicate a problem that needs to be addressed. Record the meter readings and compare against previous readings. A water meter will also help to identify hidden leaks when no pigs are in the barn. Water requirements for both drinking and for cooling systems will increase as temperatures rise.
- Nipple drinkers may be used at all stages of production to deliver water to the animals. There are various types of nipple drinker; Hanging or swinging waters are mounted from the ceiling in the middle of a pen hanging loosely . Other nipple drinkers may be pen or wall mounted. Ball or bite type drinkers may also be used. Cup drinkers are nipple drinkers with a small cup below that catches some of the water that animals do not drink have been shown to reduce water usage and slurry production but the cup may need cleaning out regularly to prevent fouling. Nipple drinkers without the cup also allow animals to play with the waterer and cause water to run over their backs and face which falls into the manure pit. Nipple drinkers without the cup may also increase water usage when they are pushed on accidently by animals leaning against them.
- Drinking water accounts for 80% of the water use on the farm. This table shows the potential reduction in water use of different delivery systems when compared to a fixed mounted nipple drinker.
- It is essential to check that water drinkers are working properly every day. Animals must have water available and drinkers must not be leaking. A drinker that leaks one drop of water per second will result in 6 gallons of wasted water per day or 2,190 gallons per year. If one quarter (20) of the nipples in a standard finishing barn are leaking at that rate, it could result in a total water loss of more than 430,000 gallons per year. Repair or replace any nipple drinkers that are leaking or not working properly as soon as possible. Remember also that if medication is administered through the water system, leaking drinkers or wasted water will be even more costly and animals may not receive an effective amount of medication. Don’t forget to check the piglet nipple drinkers in the farrowing house.
- The height at which nipple drinkers are mounted can have an impact on water use. Drinkers should be set at or just above shoulder height of the smallest pig in the pen. If possible, tilt the drinker downwards. In pens with growing pigs, the drinker must be adjusted regularly to ensure the optimum height is met throughout the production phase.
- The rate at which water flows from the nipple drinker will also impact water usage. If the flow rate is too high, water will be wasted. To check the flow rate hold a measuring container under a running drinker for 15 seconds. Multiply the volume collected by 4 to calculate the flow rate per minute.
- It is important to use the correct nipple for the age/size of the animal. Piglet nipple drinkers will have a slower flow rate than ones deigned for larger animals. The flow rate on most nipples can be adjusted. If the optimum flow rate is not achieved, remove the nipple and check that no debris has built up behind the filter on the nipple (if included). Adjust the flow rate on the nipple according to the manufacturers instructions. If a pressure regulator is installed in the water line, this may also be adjusted to provide the optimum psi pressure.
- Some sow breeding and gestation barns deliver water through a trough in front of the animals. These systems rely on timers to ensure regular and sufficient water. Make sure timers are set to fill troughs to provide all animals with enough water but not to over-flowing. Check the integrity (look for holes or cracks) of the trough to ensure water is not leaking below the barn or into the manure pit. Repair or report holes in troughs as soon as possible. If the hole is large enough to prevent enough water from getting to animals further along the trough, the repair must be made immediately. Check that feed dams do not build up in the water trough, causing water to be diverted away from the animals and into the manure pit. Clear feed dams or other blockages in the trough immediately.
- Barn and equipment washing can account for up to 10% of total water use on the farm. Water use can be reduced by following these conservation methods Dry clean up: Wash time and wash water can be reduced by using shovels or scrapers to dislodge manure that has built up in pen corners or non slatted areas of partially slatted barns. Intermittent pre soak rather than continuous presoaking prior to washing can reduce barn clean-up water usage by half. Presoaking saturates packed manure in the pens, making removal easier. Intermittent presoaking requires setting the presoak water to run for 5 minutes out of every 30 minutes for 18 hours as opposed to continuous presoaking running for 12 hours. Wash Basins may be used in place of a hose for some cleaning chores on the farm. For example, instead of washing boots with a hose, keep a basin full of water and disinfectant for washing with a brush. Use a hose for a final rinse. Use hoses with a trigger shut off to reduce wasted water between rinses or wash item rearrangement.
- Water is used to cool animals in the barn during hot weather. Systems include mister or drip types, and evaporative cooling pads. All these systems require effective air movement to cool the animals. Cool cells and sprinkler or drip systems should be used only as needed, generally when the outside temperature rises above 85oF. Check and record barn temperatures daily and make sure controller settings are correct for the phase of production so that the correct cooling equipment operates at the right temperature. Sprinklers, fogger and drip systems: These systems rely on evaporative cooling directly on the animal. The water wets the pigs and the cooling occurs as the water evaporates off of the animal. Dripper, fogger and sprinkler systems should be used with timers that are set to run for a short period of time then shut off long enough for the water to evaporate off then turn back on again. If the sprinkler, fogger or dripper system runs continuously, the animals become too wet, humidity builds in the barn and the evaporative cooling effect is lost. Check valves installed in the system will prevent the lines draining between shower cycles, further reducing water loss. The curtains in a naturally ventilated barn should be completely down before the sprinklers or drippers are activated. To be most effective, dripper systems in the farrowing barn should be positioned so that the water drops on to the area between the sows shoulder blades. Watch for leaks in drip and sprinkler water systems. Replace or repair leaking nozzles as soon as possible.
- Many barns have a cooling system that includes cool cells at one end or in a section on the sides of the barn and fans at the other end. This system creates a tunnel by which warm outside air is “pulled” through the cool cells. Water is trickled over the top of the cool cells which then runs down, wetting the entire pad. As the air passes through the wet cool cells into the barn, the water evaporation cools the air. All the cooling fans in a tunnel barn should be running before the cool cell is activated and must remain running while the cool pad system is operating. All the elements must be working properly for the system to be most effective. Every day during the warm season, the system should be checked. Ensure that the system is set to operate at the correct temperature. Check for dry patches in the cool cell pad. This would indicate that water is not flowing correctly. This problem may be caused by debris in the water line blocking the holes in the pipe above the pads, where water should trickle down on to the pad. Clear blockages and make sure holes are in the top of the pipe to help prevent this happening. The filter in the cooling water system should be checked and cleaned regularly during the season the system is running. Keeping the filter in the dark (covering it or painting it a dark color) may reduce algae growth. Pads should be allowed to dry out once a day to prolong the life of the pad and to prevent algae growth. This is usually accomplished overnight when temperatures are cooler. Pads should be clean and free of debris and dust. Pads that have not been cleaned will have restricted air flow. Prepare for the warm season by washing the pads and checking the cooling system is functioning correctly.
- Poor water quality can result in increased consumption and water wasting. Water quality can be effected by rust and debris in the water lines, algae growth and mineral deposits. Check and clean water filters regularly to keep water systems running properly.
- Water is wasted where there are leaks or if the system is not operating effectively. It is essential for production efficiency, cost and the environment to ensure that cooling systems of all types are working properly when required. Water is critical to the many aspects of the farm operation but wasted and excess water use is costly and has a negative impact on the environment. Using responsible practices like repairing leaks and keeping cooling systems running efficiently can help to reduce costs and conserve this natural resource.